I am trying a new type of journaling. I only write 3 things per day~ one thing I did for my health, one thing I did for my home, and one thing I did for joy. It has been fun to consider each morning how I will meet these. Sometimes it's just a little thing like moving my calcium tablets next to my tea so I remember to take them, or a big thing like cleaning the garage. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the many tasks I need to get to, I just pick one, do it, and feel a sense of accomplishment. I've been doing this for a week, and things already look better around here, and I've made sure to have some fun everyday. (Again, not always a big deal, yesterday's act of joy was having a glass of wine on the deck with my husband, today's was buying some flowers,last week I bought a bar of lemon scented soap ) Just thought I'd share beecause it is bringing some balance and purpose to the tasks I do each day. And that's a good thing

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

I went out on what was supposed to be a 3 mile run. I made it about 1.5 before I had to stop. My cat Maxie disappeared a little over a month ago and I saw a dirty starving black cat chilling in a yard on the very last street in my neighborhood. So I picked it up and stole it. I am 99% sure it's my Maxie. It's so pitiful and nervous, but uber docile and tame. Purs at me, rubs on me, let's me hold it. It won't come in so I left the garage door cracked and put some food down so he will eat. Hopefully he sticks around long enough for my daughter to come home from work and see him. He was her baby so he should really take to her if it's Maxie.

So all told... 1.96 miles and a stolen cat.

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.

I am completely intrigued by the sciencey stuff behind Whole 30 so far. I like to know WHY they day something works and this makes absolute sense. A lot of talk about how cravings and overeating are habitual more so than anything else and some very valid reasons behind why whole food is much satiating than processed... intrigued.

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.

I am completely intrigued by the sciencey stuff behind Whole 30 so far. I like to know WHY they day something works and this makes absolute sense. A lot of talk about how cravings and overeating are habitual more so than anything else and some very valid reasons behind why whole food is much satiating than processed... intrigued.

But what about the cat?

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

The way of eating sounds really interesting, as does the cat! And I bet you would make an awesome yoga instructor!

I am looking into having my vena cava filter removed by a specialist - my guy could not do it. I am very upset and depressed, but I am not sure I'm ready to give up. My doc, although not a bad doc, is a lot closer to retirement than cutting-edge technology... I spent all day yesterday in the hospital (to the tune of $300.00 out of pocket) - several hours of it flat on my back - and with a catheter - all for nothing. He tried, but my filter is embedded in the vein. Soooo, I am looking into other ways to do this. Very upsetting, and it is all I can do to not jump head-first into a gallon of ice cream.

Jesse - I love your 3-step journaling, but I am not in a place to do that right now... I might consider it once I get through this "crisis..."

July is not my month so far.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

I haven't seen the kitty today. The food I put in the garage was eaten. He probably holed up all day in the bushes and it's raining now. I'll put out more food and I bought flea shampoo and a fur brush. I'm convinced it's him.

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.

Well, mostly the thing bothering me right now is that it isn't placed as it should be. It is tilted and can actually puncture through the vein, etc... It can break apart. It is my understanding that these are usually placed (and left) in people who are a lot older, so if they fail after 25 or 30 years those people are already dead! I'm not entirely sure how bad it is - and I don't want to look around on the web too much because in three clicks you can find out you're about to die - know what I mean? So many horror stories. I just think it needs to be out and so does my hematologist.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

Well, mostly the thing bothering me right now is that it isn't placed as it should be. It is tilted and can actually puncture through the vein, etc... It can break apart. It is my understanding that these are usually placed (and left) in people who are a lot older, so if they fail after 25 or 30 years those people are already dead! I'm not entirely sure how bad it is - and I don't want to look around on the web too much because in three clicks you can find out you're about to die - know what I mean? So many horror stories. I just think it needs to be out and so does my hematologist.

You have really been through the medical wringer these last two years. that you can find someone with the skill to remove the filter successfully and that it is the last of the medical issues for a long long time.

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

Thanks, Jesse, and everyone for your support. I think I sound like a hypochondriac, so I'm going to curtail my health-related posts. I do think, if I had not had WLS surgery I would have been dead by now anyway, so a few medical problems is better than the alternative...

I am also not looking for sympathy, but instead just coming clean in telling everyone I did horribly yesterday. Again. Started fresh this morning with water, coffee with sf creamer, and later, some steak. Gotta white-knuckle it again for a few days to get into the swing of things. I'll do what it takes and MAYBE - if I get it through my thick skull - if I don't slip up so much I won't have to keep doing that. It needs to just be what I do, not something that I stray from whenever I get stressed or the feeling strikes me. Knowing that and doing what I need to are two different things, however.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

Speaking of medical isues, was Joyful48 going forward with back surgery? Haven't seen any posts from her recently.

It is very possible she did. I really hope she's okay!

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

Thanks for understanding, Mary. It helps so much to vent here - most people in my life still don't get it.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

Let it fly, Mary! It is all about what makes you happy!!
I think you look great - and happy, too!!

I'm in the midst of cleaning out my son's room/closet. As I may have admitted, I'm an almost-hoarder, so in the time I've been working on it I've found items from newborn-size all the way up to his present size (he is ten years old though!!!). As a bonus, though, amongst the baby clothes, I found a 2-pack of generic Spanx that never would have fit me then, but will fit me - maybe be a little big...now! Go figure.

I'm also in talks with a doctor who appears to be one of the leading filter removal specialists in the country. Let's hope he can get this job done.

I'm doing really good with eating today - mostly cause its only 8:47AM here and I just got up a bit ago. I'll check back in a few hours and we'll see how I am then!!!

Happy Sunday, Ladies & Lurkers. Do something you love today...maybe with someone you love. Time flies so quickly.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

I found a 2-pack of generic Spanx that never would have fit me then, but will fit me - maybe be a little big...now! Go figure.

I'm also in talks with a doctor who appears to be one of the leading filter removal specialists in the country. Let's hope he can get this job done.

I'm doing really good with eating today - mostly cause its only 8:47AM here and I just got up a bit ago. I'll check back in a few hours and we'll see how I am then!!!

Bonus on the Spanx generics! Did you try them on? What's the verdict?

Let me know how the talks with the surgeon goes. From what you've said, someone with a little more vascular ability should be able to work with you. If the original surgeon was a general, they are not as versed in what needs to be done, which is why they are leery to do it. Fingers crossed!

Same here! I've been up for about 2 hours and at work for almost one, but so far so good!

Check out the attachment to see what I did yesterday! Making it through the first couple of miles is always hardest, and then by the end I feel like I'm just flying! I used run/walk intervals of about a mile running then a minute or two walking.

Holy Moses, woman! You ran ten miles! That is awesome! Your times are super, too! I am obviously doing something wrong - even at my best I might be able to do one 12-ish mile then the next are like 13 or 14-ish...

My guy last week - for the procedure - is a vascular guy...but he's also about 65 (I don't think as interested in staying up-to-date perhaps...) and seemed negative about the whole removal from the start. I actually called about removal back in March but his nurse poo-pooed it, saying it was better off left in. I then went to my hematologist, who said he thought it should come out... If I had been able to immediately make appointments, etc, maybe the results could have been successful, I'm not sure. However, with a full-time job and three kids I can't just drop everything to do this stuff. I can't cry over it now (already did that...). The doctor I'm talking to appears to be a specialist at removal... Two other doctors at Johns Hopkins also are mentioned in what I've seen several times. They use lasers, etc... This is scary stuff, but I think leaving it in (tilted...) is potentially worse, especially in the long run. I think. Soooo frustrating.

PS: I don't know about the Spanks yet, but I will try them on later today...It appears like they'll be fine.

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The big question is: How badly do you want this!?!"If it was easy everybody would be doing it." --Me!“All that we are is the result of what we have thought...What we think we become.” BuddhaTHE ONLY THING STOPPING ME IS MYSELF.The "easy way out" is the toughest thing I've ever done.

Holy Moses, woman! You ran ten miles! That is awesome! Your times are super, too! I am obviously doing something wrong - even at my best I might be able to do one 12-ish mile then the next are like 13 or 14-ish...

My guy last week - for the procedure - is a vascular guy...but he's also about 65 (I don't think as interested in staying up-to-date perhaps...) and seemed negative about the whole removal from the start. I actually called about removal back in March but his nurse poo-pooed it, saying it was better off left in. I then went to my hematologist, who said he thought it should come out... If I had been able to immediately make appointments, etc, maybe the results could have been successful, I'm not sure. However, with a full-time job and three kids I can't just drop everything to do this stuff. I can't cry over it now (already did that...). The doctor I'm talking to appears to be a specialist at removal... Two other doctors at Johns Hopkins also are mentioned in what I've seen several times. They use lasers, etc... This is scary stuff, but I think leaving it in (tilted...) is potentially worse, especially in the long run. I think. Soooo frustrating.

PS: I don't know about the Spanks yet, but I will try them on later today...It appears like they'll be fine.

I can't wait to read your post about how it was removed and how well the procedure went. I hope I will be reading it soon.

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

1. Log a total of 65 running miles this month.
2. Decrease CURRENT weight 5 pounds by month's end. (Note, this doesn't say LOSE 5 POUNDS because that allows me to count losing any I gain this month too.)
3. Ride a bike. No set time or distance. Just pull it out, repair it and attempt to ride it.

1. Close, but nope. I closed with 47 miles for the month. Not even 50. My own fault for skipping a weekend long run and a few weekday runs.
2. Nope. Only 1 pound down. I *did* lose 5 pounds from a high weight within the month, but only 1 from the starting weight.
3. Yup. Twice actually. The second time the chain fell off so now I need a new bike. This one was on it's last wheels anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by myyellowstang

And, I think I have an addiction to chewable simethicone.

Two weeks and haven't had it yet. There were days when I craved it pretty bad for no other reason than to just eat it. Then there were days when I was legit bloated and felt I needed it but didn't go buy any (almost though a few days into this, they were THANKFULLY out when I was at the store grocery shopping or I might have!), and then it got to be where almost a whole day would pass without me thinking about it and now I'll go several and not crave it at all. Abstinence really is key. Now to work this magic on all the other addictions/cravings in my life.

Just realized I didn't set July goals so I'm going to think on that for the rest of the day and come post them tonight or tomorrow.

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.

I'm having so much fun in Chicago visiting my daughter. I love exploring by myself, so when she's had to work I've been very entertained, and when she's not working we've had a lot of fun. Going home on Friday.

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

I'm having so much fun in Chicago visiting my daughter. I love exploring by myself, so when she's had to work I've been very entertained, and when she's not working we've had a lot of fun. Going home on Friday.

That's how I am. I'm perfectly content to run out by myself and just wander. I love people watching and sightseeing too!

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.

Trail run was a blast last night. It was 95 degrees, humid, steep and HARD! I was sweating bullets by a half mile in. I learned that I really do love trail running! My legs were burning on the steep uphill rocky climbs but it was so awesome I just kept pushing through.

I *really* love my local running club. I posted on my FB feed that I got new trail running shoes for my trip to Alaska and they immediately formed a group trail run to help me break them in!

The picture is the group that came. This a *tiny*tiny* piece of my running group.

The weight is falling off. If I can keep up the injury free running and keep eating appropriately then I can get it all off in a matter of a month or so.

I had a run in with some NSA chocolate covered raisins. I stopped in at a local Sprouts after the trail run because I wanted one thing from there (coconut aminos) but they were out. Well... $50 later I had salt and pepper Skinny Pop, NSA choc covered raisins, habanero pretzels, 4 and 5g sugar Kind bars (these are great running fuel), fruit and nut mix, chicken sausages, nitrate free lunch meat, pepper jack cheese, some nuun, and alkaline water... I might have forgotten something but you get the picture. I was "rungry" and they were all impulse buys.

I tasted a pretzel and then emptied the bag right out the car window. They were stale-ish and not fabulous but I knew I would keep eating them anyway so they had to go. I ate toooo many NSA choc covered raisins and told myself I would take them to work today to share with my coworkers so I wouldn't eat any more of them. Well... I found myself dipping back into them twice more so before I lost willpower a third time I just dumped them down the disposal and turned it on. Didn't miss them at all this morning but had they still been around I would have eaten them and not brought them to work!

I was just thinking about someone I ran into at a friend's house this weekend. She had a lap band about 6 months before I had my RNY and was actually one of the catalysts to my finally making the yes decision after 4+ years of consideration.

She was a coworker and was doing so good and my "jealousy" over how happy her weight loss was making her made me really think harder about it. That and I started working with a new surgeon I was completely impressed with.

Anyway, last I saw her (she went to travel nursing) she was not quite a year out and picking up bad habits again. She started with drinking a Hawaiian Punch every day. Then she was eating peanut M&Ms every day after lunch. It was just small allowances that once she started they weren't "that big a deal" after a few times. I can totally relate to that, it's the whole slippery slope scenario...

I saw her Friday and she was back at least to where she started. She had all the fluid removed from her band (purposefully) so she could eat what she wanted. I was so... sad FOR her, for lack of a better word. She was happy, she was losing weight, she was buying new CUTE and SEXY clothes and she was gaining self esteem (she had very little). She was finally "age appropriate" rather than being more like my mother or my grandmother, if that makes sense. She was in her late 20's... This was all gone. She was dressed all in black, frumpy, all the things I remember thinking I needed to be when I was that weight.

My friend, the one with cancer, stated she was okay with her fatness because her life had a different meaning now. This girl (girl, she's probably 30 now) said "well I'm not, but we're going to remedy that". This, plus another statement earlier in the day about having a doctor visit where they had to "put her under" makes me wonder if she is going to revisit WLS. If she does, I really hope it "sticks" or she chooses a different surgical option.

Anyway... all of this is just to say that I am so happy about where I am in my journey. That I am so happy I took so long to decide what I wanted to do and what procedure would work best for me. With my sugar addiction I KNEW I needed the accountability of dumping and all that to keep me real. It just shows me that I made a good choice, I created new relationships with food and exercise, and as down as I get about a dozen and a half regain pounds I have to look back and say that I'm successful. I did it, I'm still doing it and I cannot see myself back as that person I used to be. No amount of snacking or grazing is worth returning to the person that I saw in her that day.

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Heather

Since 2008 my team has raised over $48,000 for The DFW Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk.